# Accident 20100918055909A: Bell OH-58A, Covington, TN, September 18, 2010

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: September 18, 2010, 15:50 local time
- Place: Covington, TN
- Airport: Covington
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Hover/Holding
- Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
- Operator: B8WG
- Location: 35.5519° N, 89.4411° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.5519&lon=-89.4411&mi=10
- Aircraft: N38FA, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N38FA) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Bell OH-58A (registry code 1181579, https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-oh-58a) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BELL OH-58A
- Reported engine: ALLISON T63
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 20,000 total, 983 in this make and model, 283 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA10LA484](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA10LA484) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20100918055909A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

N38FA AN OH58A HAD TAKEN OFF FROM A FUELING PLATFORM ON TOP OF A TANKER TRUCK. THE WEATHER WAS CLEAR WITH VARIABLE WIND AT 2 MPH. FUEL LOAD WAS 150-170 LBS. AND FULL CHEMICAL LOAD OF 80 GALLONS. THE PILOT STATED HE LIFTED OFF AT 100% RPM TO A HEIGHT OF 20-25 FEET AND WAS TRANSITIONING TO FORWARD AIR SPEED. THE AIRCRAFT FLEW APPROXIMATELY 170 FEET AT 20 KNOTS AT WHICH TIME THE PILOT STATED HE EXPERIENCED TWO TO THREE ENGINE SURGES AND A LOSS OF ENGINE RPM. THE PILOT STATED HE WAS TOO LOW TO AUTOROTATE AND LANDED ON THE SKIDS CAUSING THE MAIN ROTOR TO FLEX DOWN AND CUT THE TAIL BOOM OFF OF THE AIRFRAME.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB ERA10LA484](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA10LA484), Sep 18, 2010: Bell OH-58A (N38FA), Covington, TN, substantial damage. Probable cause: A loss of engine power due to contamination of the helicopter's fuel supply.

## Other reports on N38FA (2)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Accident 20120301003829A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20120301003829A), Mar 1, 2012: Bell OH-58A (N38FA), Eufaul, AL, Substantial damage. [privacy data omitted] Was receiving annual refresher training from [privacy data omitted]. After completing lowlevel airwork they climbed to 500 feet for…
- [Accident 20030404010269A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20030404010269A), Apr 4, 2003: Bell OH58A (N38FA), Westmoreland, CA, Substantial damage. (-23) A hose used to fill the chemical tank for aerial application was not removed before the pilot attempted to take off. When the slack in the hose was…

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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